Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intubation assistance instrument for use in intubating a distal end of an intubation tube into a target site such as a trachea of a patient, an intubation assistance apparatus including the intubation assistance instrument, and an intubation assistance system including the intubation assistance apparatus and an intubation tube.
Description of the Prior Art
It is sometimes necessary to practice artificial respiration, as a first-aid lifesaving treatment for a patient who is suffering from unconsciousness caused by an accident or the like. Although the artificial respiration may be practiced without using any instrument or apparatus, there is often a case that a respirator is used for that purpose.
In the case that a respirator is used to conduct artificial respiration, an intubation tube whose proximal end is connected to the respirator is inserted into a trachea of a patient to supply air to the trachea from the respirator via the tube.
In the meantime, if a patient loses consciousness, a root of a tongue is retracted to thereby block up a respiratory tract because of relaxation of muscles of a pharynx and a larynx and/or a gravity-caused loosening of a lower jaw.
Therefore, in the case where the afore-mentioned intubation tube is to be inserted into the trachea or a target site (such operation will be hereinafter referred to as “intubation operation”), it is essential to first open the blocked respiratory tract and secure an air passage by pulling up the tongue.
An intubation assistance apparatus to be used for securing the air passage is known (see, e.g., JP-A 2007-117115).
The intubation assistance apparatus described in JP-A 2007-117115 includes an apparatus main body, an intubation assistance instrument detachably mounted to the apparatus main body, and a laryngoscope for allowing an operator to observe the pharynx and the larynx, wherein the laryngoscope is configured so that it can be inserted into the intubation assistance instrument and removed therefrom.
The intubation assistance instrument is an elongated member with a curved middle portion and can be inserted through a mouth of a patient who has lost consciousness, for instance, whereby an appropriate portion on the side of the distal end comes into contact with and lifts up a tongue root portion of the patient, thus securing the air passage. Further, in the intubation assistance instrument, a groove in which an intubation tube can be inserted is formed along a longitudinal direction thereof.
For instance, after the intubation assistance apparatus described in JP-A 2007-117115 has been used, the intubation assistance instrument is detached from the intubation assistance apparatus and cleansed. In this case, there is a fear that the intubation assistance instrument cannot be sufficiently cleansed because it has a large size, a complex shape or the like.
Further, in the intubation assistance apparatus described in JP-A 2007-117115, since the intubation tube is repeatedly inserted into the groove and removed therefrom, the groove is easily abraded. Such an intubation assistance instrument having the abraded groove is not suitable for use in carrying out the intubation operation.
Therefore, even in the case where parts of the intubation assistance instrument other than the groove are normal (not damaged), the intubation assistance instrument has to be discarded. At that time, the normal parts are also discarded. This is wastefulness.
In addition, in such an intubation assistance apparatus, in the case where an operator wants to exchange a just inserted intubation tube to another intubation tube having a different outer diameter during the use of the intubation assistance apparatus, the operator has to mount another intubation assistance instrument corresponding to the other intubation tube to the apparatus main body after the intubation assistance instrument mounted to the apparatus main body has been removed therefrom.
Therefore, in such an intubation assistance apparatus, in the case where the operator wants to use an insertion tube having a different outer diameter, the operator has to exchange the entirety of the intubation assistance instrument. Further, in this case, the operator has to remove the laryngoscope from the intubation assistance instrument and insert it into the other intubation assistance instrument to be exchanged. This exchange operation is troublesome.